Theory of mind (ToM) is a socio-cognitive capacity that allows individuals to attribute mental states to themselves and others and is increasingly recognized as relevant in educational settings, particularly when working with students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, most empirical research on ToM has focused on clinical populations, and limited evidence is available on how ToM-related skills are structured in educational professionals. This study addresses this gap by developing and conducting a preliminary psychometric evaluation of a self-report instrument designed to assess ToM-related skills in professionals working with children diagnosed with ASD in schools implementing inclusion-related policies. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 291 professionals from Chilean schools implementing such policies. Participants completed a newly developed self-report questionnaire. Given the institutional participation rate, the final sample was obtained through convenience sampling. An exploratory factor analysis using maximum likelihood extraction and varimax rotation was performed to examine the latent structure of the instrument. Sampling adequacy was supported by a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin coefficient of 0.91, and internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for each factor. The analysis yielded a 35-item solution grouped into five factors organized into two broad components: identification of others’ mental states and identification of one’s own mental states. The interpersonal component emerged as a single factor including emotion recognition, inferential processes, and empathic response, whereas the intrapersonal component comprised four factors related to self-awareness, reflective abilities, planning, and emotion regulation. All factors showed high internal consistency, supporting the instrument’s preliminary reliability and potential usefulness in educational research settings.

Carolina Messer Soubelet is a nurse and a PhD candidate in Mental Health at the University of Concepción, Chile. Her research focuses on the use of theory of mind skills among educational professionals and their impact on the school inclusion of students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She is an academic at the Faculty of Care Sciences, School of Nursing, at Universidad San Sebastián, Chile.